Faith, Oath and Obama

Date: 22 Jan 2009
Comment:
Faith, Oath and Obama
NewsTodayNet
Wed, 21 Jan, 2009
In a historically important occasion, Barrack Hussein Obama, a born Muslim and a practising Christian, took oath of office as the 44th and the first ever African-American President of the United States of America.
Obama, the man of the moment having faith in God, was able to gain the faith of millions of Americans, black, brown and white, who voted him to power with huge hopes on him.
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The fact that the inaugural ceremony was attended by 2 million people braving the chill weather with forty thousand security personnel guarding him at a huge cost of over $170 million is enough to mark the significance of the occasion.
Such an expensive ceremony at a time when the country˘s economy is in a bad shape may be a matter of concern, but the historical importance attached to it has overshadowed that concern.
Obama did not take the oath on the ¡Constitution˘ of USA, but on the ¡Bible˘ once used by Abraham Lincoln. Being a practicing Christian and belonging to a country of Christian majority, his act of taking oath on the Bible must be welcomed and appreciated and this act is a symbolic assertion of his inner convictions.
Obama confirmed this faith and unity, when he conveyed his message to the terrorists by saying, ¡our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us and we will defeat you˘.
While warning the terrorists and terror sponsoring nations, he also sent a subtle, but strong message to Muslim world saying that he would seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
Even while asserting his Christian faith, he has not forgotten to embrace the ¡other citizens˘ of America and said, ¡we are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers˘.
He was so balanced in his speech that he focused on the ¡remaking˘ of a ¡united˘ America! Even with regards to ¡racism˘ he had just made a passing mention and left it at that.
Obama, after conveying a customary thanks to the outgoing president, has not minced any words in attacking him for the present sordid state of affairs. He was extremely critical of the previous administration, particularly with regards to foreign policy, economic policy and the usage of energy.
Obama has attained power by promising ¡change˘ for America, a change for progress, a change for profit and a change for performance! But what change will he bring for India-US relationship cannot be speculated now.
India has to wait and see and the same for the rest of the world as well. The arrival of the ¡black˘ Barrack ¡Hussein˘ Obama is a ¡breaking˘ point in US˘s ¡white-Christian˘ history and it can be hoped that it would ¡change˘ for the better in future also.
Not only his swearing in ceremony, but also his inaugural speech will be marked in history and remembered for years. His swearing in, oath taking and faith asserting are indeed lessons to India, its politicians and its people.
Any country, which respects the majority community and embraces the minorities, without deviating from its cultural heritage and religious traditions, will certainly prosper and the downfall starts the day when it neglects the majority.
India˘s progress may perhapsl commence, when its Prime Minister takes oath on the ¡Bhagwat Gita˘ and asserts on India˘s cultural heritage.
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